Chain-link.



s. n. Loom. CHAIN LINK. APPLICATION FILED IAY12,1908. RENEWED 0012, 1013.

1,107,808. Patented Aug. 18, 1914,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE s LvAN sn. riocxn-or nsmcnronr, ponnncrrcoif, Assmnon T Locxns'rm.

BELT COMPANY, OF BRIDG'EIB;If];- CONNECTICUT. CO BPORATION OF NEW YORK;

ennui-Linn.-

- Specification. of Lettersiyatcirtilr. Pat e fe ifiug. 18,-:191 L Application tiled May 12, 1908, Serial No. 432,496. Renewed October 2, 1:213? st-e31 103 793,088.

To all where it may concern :I

Be it known that I. SYLVANUS D. Looks, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, in the county'of Fairfield-and State-of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful. Improvements in Chain- Links, of which the following is a specification, reference being bad therein to the accompanying drawings.

'lhis invention relates. to improvements in chain links, and more particularly to drive chain links made of sheet metal.-

' One of the objects of my ihvzention is to so score, punch or drill the metal'from which each link. with its side bars and end or cross bars, is formed, as to greatly increase the tensile strength of the link nnd'especially to largely overcome any tendency which may exist for the end or cross bars to tear outalong lines continuing from the ends of the longitudinal lines of: scormgat the inner edges'o'f the side bars.

I 'l v Another ob ect ot myinvention is to so score, punch or drill the metal of which a link is formed as to ;':()V0l(.fQ H]l C'tli( tendency of the metal of the endbnrs to tear out or break away from the metal of the side bars,

as the end bars are rolled or bent into the desired shape.

Another object of my invention is to increase both the tensile strength of sheet meta-ls'chain links having iit tnclnnent sectionsextending from 'one side lHJ or both Side bars of'the link and thcstrength of the link to resisfithe breaking away of the .said

extended side or sidebars from the re- ;ri a'inder "of the link.

"other objects of my invention will be obvibu's from the drawings and description of chain blanks and chain linksfand attacht'rates the 'stepsiin the formation. of each chain link. Fig.4 saco plan view of the right hand end of the strip shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a bottom .Fi lini, tion through the link shown in F ig; 6 and 6 isa perspectiveview'of the ior'nia looking toward 'thelarge end bar of the link. Fig. 8 is a transverse section of a having transverse scores at the small end bar ends of the side bars. Fig.9 is a'persp'ectiv'c view looking at the top of an attachment link. Fig. 9 is a central.longitudinal'secg tional view through an attachment link.-

strip of metal. As the exact nature ofthe plan view of'tho samegw .3 Lhavia'illustrzited the st ps iii the formation of a drive chain linkfrom aprogressive steps in the making-of Such a.

link and the forming elements for effecting them constitute no part of 'my present invention, they are not shown and described,

the 'illuslrntion being chosen simply -for thei "purpose of showing; how ajvell known process for making sheet metal drive chain? 'links'ma'y. be adapted to the making of links embodying my invention. I p Each section of the strip of sheet metal 1 from which a linlris to be formed is'sc'ored on lines 2 and 3). that is, its surface is cut to a certain depth. The lines of scoringare parallel to each other throughout their length exccptin near their rear ends, where ;thc y diverge s ightly from each othenas indicated at 2', 3, respectively. The under surface of each link blank is also preferably scored along lines 4 and 5corresponding, re-' spectively, to the lines of scoring 221ml 3 on the upper surface of the linkblank, and

these under surface lines of scoring likewisedivcrge slightly from each other at their From the? front end of each of the lines of scores and 5 a transverse score 6 is made, prefer? rear ends, as indicated at 4'. 5.

ably curvilinear in shape and extending -inwardly and .rearwardly, as illustrated. \Vhen the long narrow" lip 7 of the large end bar of each link is rolled up into its final shape of a hook a fillet is formed at the inner side of the side bar, as indicated at 8, between theside bar and the wide'upturned 9 of the large end bar of the link.

It is generally understood that, in rolled or drawn metal, such as is employed in the making of sheet metal drive chain links, fibers of the metal arrange themselves longitudinally of the strip of metal, or parallel to the direction in which the metal passes through the rolls or is drawn. It is believed that this fibrous nature of the metal is, to a certain extent, responsible for the tendency of the metal of which the end bars of the links are formed, to crack or tear from points at the ends of the lines of scoring for the side bars in all the earlier known forms of sheet met..l drive chain links. At. any rate, and for example, in many sheet metal links of the general construction shown in Letters Patent of the United States, No. (333,371 to G. Skogse, patented September 19th, 1899, after the metal of the end bars is bent or curved into final shape, cracks in the metal are noticeable leading from the ends of the lines of scoring. \Vhere this is the case, and the link is subjected to a ter vile strain, the end bars are liable to tear out or shear commencing at the said oral ts. By scoring the metal of the link tlfiIlSYt selyfrom the ends of the longitudinal lines o score for the side bars, which latter scores exleud substantially in the lines of arrangement of the fibers of;

the metal, I overcome the tendency of the metal of the end bars to crack or tear along the line of fibers at the ends of the side bar scoring, as it is bent or curved into shape. At the same time, 1y said transverse scoring, the-fibers of the netal are so disarranged at the end of the 10 gitudinal scoring and immediately in lin therewith. that no sharp corner exists bei reen the'metal of the end bar and the metai of the side bar and a fillet Sis forjned to strengthen the link at this point. In fact, the corners between the end and the side bars of my improved link are built up or filled in instead of being sharply defined substantially right angle corners, as has'been the case with all earlier sheet metal drive chain links of which I am aware. When a tensile strain is applied to one of my improved links, no sharply defined corners ex ist between the end bars and the side bars where the transverse scoring is done, and from which the end he: will readily tear out. This transverse scoring of the metal at the ends of the longitudinal lines of score, furthermore, substantially overcomes the tend-- ency of the metal of the end bars to crack or tear away from the side bars under the bending or curling up operations incident to the final shaping of the end bars, well as the tendency ofthe metal to shear or tear along the lines of scoring whit-h are substantially in line with or parallel to the line of application of strain on the link.

In most instances I have found it unnecessary to transversely score the metal at both ends of the longitudinal lines of score, it

sufiicing to do so only at the large end bar or sprmket bar end of the link, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The metal for the large-r end bar or end hook subjected to severer forming and bending strains than is the metal of the smaller end bar or pintle, and there is more tendency for the larger end bar or end hook to tear out than for the smaller one, when the formed link is subjected to tensile strain.

Although, owing to its shape and size, the small end bar of each link is subjected to less tearin or shearin strain than the lar e end bar, nevertheless. in some instances it may be advisable to transversely score the metal at the rear ends of the lines of score for the side bars to overcome the tendency of the metal to shear out on longitudinal lines from these points and to form a fillet or built up corner between the inner edge of a side bar and a small end bar. In Fig. 8 I have shown such transverse scoring of the small end bar of the link.

The divergence at the rear end of each link ofthe lines of scoring for the side bars, tends to increase the distance between the side bars of the link adjacent to the small end bar in order to provide sufiicient clearance for facilitating the formation of the long narrow lip 7 of the large end bar for the next succeeding link about the small end bar or pintle 10. am aware, this necessary clearance between the side bars at the small end bar of the link has been obtained by scoring the link blank on lines which diverge from each other throughout their entire length. as illustrated in the said Skogse patent hereiubefore retcrred to. Where the lines of score for the side bars thus taper throughout their entire length, the sprocket opening through the link is of uneven dimensions and the side bars of the link do not run ni'iitornily relative to the sprocket wheel. Furthermore, where a relatively narrow side bar' is required to begin with, the said taper scoring tends to weaken the side bar more than is advisable. Again, where a chain having its links thus taper scored used on a horizontal .drive over small sprocket wheels and the lower run of the chain is active, the upper run may sap sutliciently to engage with the links of the lower run and have one of the narrow lips of the large end bar of a link on the upper run enter the opening of and become wedged in one of the links of the lower run with resultant damage and stoppage of the machine. I have found that the only place where clearance for the narrow lip of the large end bar is required, is in'n'nediately adjacent to the small end bar of the link with which the said narrow lip is coupled, consequently the slightly diverging scoring adjacent to the small end bar of one of my improved links, accomplishes all of the desired I'Ierelcfore, so far I vfor similar purposes.

results and obviates the difliculties and disadvantages of the earlier taper scoring for the side bars.

Occasions arise when it is desirable to have links with so-called attachments for connection with elements of a conveyor, or In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a link with an extended side bar to facilitate the attachment of a conveyor element. This link is formed from a piece of sheet metal by scoring the metal .on longitudinal lines 11 and 12, similar to the scoring of the links hereinbefore descril: ed,bending and shaping one portion of the central section between the lines of scores to form an end bar or pintle 13; and the other portion of the said central section to form the large end bar or s rocket bar 14. The ends of the-metal blan adjacent to and at one side of the side bar 12, are bent up as indicated at 15, 15, to receive between them the conveyer element to be connected to the link. At 16 the metal of the blank is scored transversely to theline of score 12. The metal of the blank at the o posite end of the line of score 12, may elikewise transversely I scored, if desired, and transverse scoring -may be done at the opposite ends of the line of score 11. I have indicated a transverse score at 17, at the front end of the line 1L 1..W'hen' the large end bar of the link with the laterally extending attachment section is formed, the grain of the metal or fibers is severed at the front end of the line of scoring 12, and a fillet 16 formed between the metal of the side bar 12 and the metal of the large end bar 14. \Vhen tension is applied to the link there will not exist a pronounced tendency for the large end bar to tear out or shear along th longitudinal line of score 12, extended, as the fibers of metal along this line have been severed. The fillet 16" strengthens the joint between the large end bar and the sidebar l2 and directs the said tensile strain on the link to the metal in, the lateral extension of the side bar [2. Owing to the formation of the fillet l6 and the severing ol' the llllUlS at the end of the line of score 12,-thc link is also greatly increased in strength to resist the breaking of the side bar P15 and its lateral extension from. the rest of the link. The fillet 16 substantially forms a verti al brace between the large .end bar 14 and the extended side bar 12; and in ordrr to break the said, bur from the rest of tire link. .such breaking must be done against the said hraring efl'ort oi the fillet and through mot-ll which is not \vralo-lml' along the line of its ll) nbt only greatly increases the tensile strength of the combined link and sid bar sistance of the metal to the bending of the side bar extension relative to the rest of the link and to the breaking or tearing of it therefrom.

In practice I have found it desirable to make the scores at'the ends of thelines of score for the side bars, and which are hereinbefore referred to as transverse scores, curvilinear in shape and to carry them around until their ends are pointed in a. direction substantially parallel to the ion tudinal lines of scores or the fibers of t e metal. However, these transverse scores may be shaped in any suitable manner and may be of any lengthand size suitable to effect the spirit of my invention.

W'hile hereinbefore I have referred entirely to transverse scoring or equivalent scoring as a means for overcoming the tendency of the end bars of the link to tear out from points at the ends of the lines of scoring for the side bars and for increasing the breaking strength of the links with lateral extensions, it will be understood that the same results may he obtained by punching out or drilling the link blanks at the ends of the longitudinal lines of score for the side bars This I have illustrated in Fi 11, 'wherein 18 indicate drilled or punche' out openings through the link at the-ends of the lines of score for the side bars. be readily understood that this punching and drilling accomplishes substantially the same purposes hereinbefore set forth .in de tail, which result from the transverse mor ing, or equivalent scoring at the ends of the longitudinal lines of score, namely, the diversion of the cracking of the metal at the ends of the longitudmallines of score, and the building up of the corners of or lhe forming of fillets between the and bars and the side bars.

It will Many alterations in theconstruction and rat tively small end bar and a relatively, large end bar or end hook, said hook being struck from metal of the strip between said side bars, and fillets in the corners between the inner el'lges'ol said side bars and said end hook.

2. A drive chain link formed from a blank of sheet metal and having side bars, a relatively small end bar and a relatively large extension, but also greatly increases the recnd bar or end hook, said hook being struck from metal of the blank between said side bars, and transverse scores leading from the ends of the inner edges of the side bars at their corners with the metal forming said tively small end bar and a relatively large.

end bar or endhook, said hook being struck from metal of the blank bet-ween said side bars, and the fibers of the metal of the blank transversely severed between the inner edges of said side bars and said end hook.

5. A drive chain link formed from a blank of sheet metal scored longitudinally to form side bars, and having a sprocket bar with a hook struck from metal between said longi tudinal lines of score, and transverse scores leading from the ends of saidlongitudinal lines of score.

6. A drive chain link formed from a blank of sheet metal scored longitudinally to form side bars, and having a sprocket bar with a hook struck from metal between said longitudinal lines of score, and the fibers of the metal of the blanktransversely scored from the ends of said longitudinal lines of score.

7. A. drive chain link formed from a blank of sheet metal scored longitudinally to form side bars, one oi? which is later-al extended, and having a sprocket bar with an end hook struck from metal between said longitudinal lines of score, and a transverse score extending from the corner of the inner edge of said laterally extended .side bar and said end hook. v

8. A drive chain link formed from a blank or sheet metal scored longitudinally to form side bars, one of which is laterally extended, and having an end bar struck from metal between said longitudinal lines of score, and a transverse score extending into said laterally cxtended side bar-from the corner between its inneredge and Said end bar.

1). A drive chain link formed from a blank of sheet metal scored longitudinally to form side bars, one of which is laterally extended, and having an end ba "'ith a hook struck from metal between said longitudinal lines of score, and having the fibers of metal transversely severed between said end bar and the inner edge of said laterally extended side bar.

10. A drive chain link formed f om a blank of sheet metal longitudinally scored to form side bars and having a pintle partially formed from metal of the blank between said lines of score and a sprocket bar with an end hook formed from metal between said lines of score, and transverse scores leading from the ends of said longitudinal lines of score.

11. A drive chain link formed from a blank of sheet metal and having side bars.

and an end bar having an end hook struck from metal of the blank between said side bars, there being between one of said side bars and said end hook a fillet or built up corner formed from metal of said blank be tween said side bars.

12. A drive chain link formed from a blank of sheet metal and having side bars,

and an end bar having an end hook struck from metal of the blank between said side bars, one of said side bars being laterally extended and there being between said end hook and-laterally extended side bar a ver' tical brace formed from metal of said blank between said side bars.

13. A drivechain link formed from a blank of sheet metal scored on parallel lines to form side bars. the lines of score near one end of said blank only being extended on diverging lines, and having an end h r struck from the metal between said lines of score including that between said diverging lines. I

14. A drive chain link formed from a blank of sheet metal scored on parallel lines to form side bars. 1 he lines of score near one end of said blank only being extended on diverging lines, and hai'ing a relatively small end bar struck from the metal be tween said lines of score including that between said diverging lines. and the said parallel lines of score'near the other end of said blank being extended transversely to the inner edges of said side bars and having a relatively large end bar struck fromthe metal between said lines of score including that between said transverse lines.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

SYLVANUS D. LOCKE.

Witnesses E. S. BANKS, \VM, A. REUBEN. 

